On average, what is the most common

medical procedure involving the use of

anesthesia?

Labor and
Delivery
 Anesthesia:
A Revolutionary
Surgical Tool
By: Sashita Subburaj
Independent Research 4B
Dr. Kiehl
Why I chose this topic:

● Interest in medicine
● Lack of surgeries
● Medical Malpractice in GT
Research
My Research:
● Research Question
○ How has the emergence of anesthesia affected the way in
which surgical procedure is performed and do the benefits
of anesthesia outweigh the cons?
● Hypothesis
○ Anesthesia has enabled the the practical use of numerous
surgeries due to its ability to conduct surgery without the
hindrance of intolerable pain levels. Though there are
some notable risks associated with the administration of
anesthesia, the use of it has saved the lives of countless in
need of surgery.
What is Anesthesia?
● Artificially induced state
of reduced awareness
● Temporary loss of
sensation
● Method of controlling
pain levels using
anesthetics
 Anesthetics Throughout History
● Indians, Chinese, Babylonians,
Egyptians

● Sulfuric ether
○ direct incisions on the bodies
of patients without movement

● Chloroform, Sevoflurane, and

Isoflurane
Anesthesia on a biological level:
● Weakens nerve transmission,
influences neurotransmitters
○ Neurotransmitters are chemical
messengers that transmit
signals between nerve cells
● Creates ideal operating conditions
● GABA neurotransmitter-
○ signal is cut off and sleepiness
is induced as there is no
arousal.
Types of Anesthesia:

● Regional: Anesthesia concentrated in a certain

part of the body
○ Generally less risk
● General: Anesthesia impacts large portion of
the body
○ More risk involved
Medical Malpractice:
● Medical malpractice is a
legal cause of action that
occurs when a medical or
health care professional
deviates from standards in
his or her profession,
thereby causing injury to a
patient.
Medical Malpractice in Anesthesia
● High risk situation
○ Malpractice Insurance
Provided
● Risk Management Team
○ Any case of malpractice is
directed straight to the team
and law firm is involved
● Most common acts of malpractice:
○ Incorrect placement of
epidural
○ Wrong dosage of anesthetic
 Data Collection/Research:

● Meta- Analysis
○ Analyzing published
GABA
Neurotransmitter
Experiments
○ Scholarly Journals
relating to patient
satisfaction
Final Product

● Brochure
○ Informative, easy to follow
● Target Audience
○ Potential surgical patients
● Distribution
○ Local hospitals
Future:

● Implement Research in
Intern Mentor
● Inform patients of certain
aspects of anesthesia
before surgical procedure
Conclusion:

● Over 60% of Americans will have surgery at

some point in their lives
● Anesthesia has caused detrimental health risks
in past procedures
Works Cited
Anders, S. (2019, January 9). [Telephone interview by the author].
Bharadwaj, S. (2019, January 9). [Telephone interview by the author].
Bonifield, J. (2012, June 10). 10 shocking medical mistakes. Retrieved December 13,
2018, from CNN website:
https://www.cnn.com/2012/06/09/health/medical-mistakes/index.html
Eckenhoff, J. E. (1980). Controversy in Anesthesiology. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 59.
Retrieved from
file:///Users/sashisubbu/Downloads/Controversy_in_Anesthesiology.22.pdf
GABA Neurotransmitter. (n.d.). Retrieved December 20, 2018, from Cold Spring Harbor
Laboratory website: https://www.dnalc.org/view/485-GABA-Neurotransmitter.html
Questions?